Top 9 Workers' Compensation Questions

We depend on our jobs for our livelihood. And getting hurt on the job shouldn't take that livelihood away. That's why employers are required to carry workers' compensation insurance -- to compensate employees injured while working.

Many workers' comp questions cover the types of injuries that may be covered, and the oversimplified answer is: work-related injuries. But what about the more procedural issues of workers' comp, like when you must file or whether you can sue your employer? Here are nine of the most pressing workers' compensation questions:

1. Does Workers' Comp Cover Volunteers?

You're not technically an employee of the company, but you might have been performing some essential tasks related to their business -- are you still covered?

2. How Long Do I Have to Be Employed to Get Workers' Comp?

You just started and you already picked up an injury that's going to keep you out of your new office. Does that mean you can't collect workers' comp?

3. Can Undocumented Immigrants Get Workers' Comp?

Undocumented immigrants can comprise 10 percent of the overall workforce in some places, but can those workers get paid if they get hurt on the job?

4. Can I Get Workers Comp If Assaulted at Work?

Not all offices are perfectly safe, and an assault can leave you too hurt to work. Does it matter if the assailant was a customer or a fellow employee?

5. Can I Get Workers' Comp for a Business Trip Injury?

Technically speaking, you weren't in the office, but that doesn't mean you weren't on the job. What if you were on your way to a meeting, or out of town to see a client?

6. Can I Get Workers' Compensation After Retirement Age?

What is the retirement age anyway, these days? Americans are working later and later in life, but could that put you over the limit for workers' comp coverage?

7. Can I Still Get Workers' Comp if My Company Goes Out of Business?

While you were laid up with a work injury, your employer was shutting up shop and laying everyone off. So will your workers' comp coverage tide you over after your company goes under?

8. Can I Get Workers' Comp If I Quit My Job?

If you decide that the work that hurt you may not be the job for you, can you still collect coverage? What if you got hurt after you gave notice?

9. Death at Work: Workers' Comp or Wrongful Death Claim?

Workers' compensation insurance can compensate family for a death on the job. But is it your only option to recover for your loss?

Every workers' compensation claim is unique, and the workers' comp system can be complicated. If you've suffered an on-the-job injury, you may want to talk to an experienced workers' comp attorney about your options.

Related Resources:

• Find Personal Injury Lawyers in Your Area (FindLaw's Lawyer Directory)
• 5 Reasons to Hire a Workers' Compensation Lawyer (FindLaw's Injured)
• What Are the First Steps in a Workers' Compensation Claim? (FindLaw's Injured)
• What's the Time Limit for a Worker's Comp Claim? (FindLaw's Injured)